FIG. C.PResidential — kitchen
Boxcar & Butcher Block Kitchens
Countertops, islands, and sink runs built from antique boxcar decking and butcher block.
- Material
- Boxcar flooring
- Butcher block
- Reclaimed oak
Boxcar flooring is 2.25 inches thick straight off the rack. That is the entire reason it makes such a good countertop — no lamination, no plywood substrate, no edge banding pretending to be solid wood. One board is a finished top.
Sink runs are the hard part
Wood around a sink is where most reclaimed counters fail. The cutout has to be sealed on every face including the underside and the inside of the cut, and the finish has to be one that can be spot-repaired rather than one that has to be stripped. We build them expecting water, not hoping to avoid it.
Island tops
An island is where the thickness pays off visually. A 2.25 inch edge showing on all four sides reads substantially different from a 0.75 inch top with a built-up edge, and people notice it without being able to say why.
Counters here were built from boxcar decking and reclaimed butcher block. Both come off our own floor.
Want something like this?
Bring dimensions and a photo of the space. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right shop for it.
